Expansion device for diagonals and bulkhead wires



EXPANSION DEVICE FOR DIAGONLS AND BULKHEAD WIRES Filed May 27, 1929 3SheetsmShee: l

.me 23, 193i. LSJZZ EXPANSION DEVICE FOR DIAGONLS AND BULKHED WIRES C).GEISLER T' L Filed May 27, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 0. vk/sns??@zw/W ff,

ATTORNEYS Jn@ 23, 1931.` GEHSLER ET M L'Z EXPANSION DEVICE FOR DIAGoNALsAND BUIKHEAD WIRES Filed May 27, 1929 5 Sheeis-.Sheec 3 lNVENTGR TTORNEYG Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES OTTO G-EISLEB AND GEORGE W.SETI-I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS EXPANSION DEVICE FOR DAGONALS AND BULKHEADWERES Application filed May 27, 1.929. Serial No. 366,457.

Our invention relates to improvements in expansion devices for diagonalsand bulkhead wires, and it consists in the combinations, constructions,and arrangements herein described and claimed.

` An object of our invention is to provide means for adjusting bulkheadwires and bracing such as that disclosed in our prior patent No.1,715,829, in which Otto Geisler is the i0 inventor and George Seth isan assignee of a part interest.

A further object of our invention is to provide means whereby theinternal bracing structure within an airship may be accurately andquickly adjusted to conform to the contraction and expansion of thecasing of the ship and certain of its associated bracing structure.

l A further object is to provide means whereby certain of the bulkheadwires in an airship may be given a certain amount of slack forsupporting a gas cell upon one side of the bulkhead wires in the eventthat a gas cell upon the opposite side should become deflated. A furtherobject is to provide a device of the type described whereby a pluralityof bracing members and a plurality of bulkhead wires may be easilyplaced under the proper tension with a minimum of eort.

' en A further object is to provide means whereby a plurality of bracingmembers and bulkhead wires in an airship may be adjusted simultaneouslyand the same amount. Other objects and advantages will appear in thefollowing speciiication, and the novel features of the invention will beparticularly poiuted'out in the appended claims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, formingpartof this application, in which '59 gitudinal sectional view of aportion of an airship showing our invention as applied thereto, Y

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the bracingstructure of the airf ship, and

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic detail view of a portion of the structure ofthe ship.

In carrying out our invention, we make use of an airship l such as thatshown in Figure 4. The ship comprises an outer casing 2, see Figures 5and 7 The casing is preferably formed from suitable sheet metal. Thecasing is disposed upon longitudinal supporting members 3. Transversemembers 4 are disposed between the longitudinal mem- 65 bers 3 forholding the latter in spaced relation, see Figure 7.

In referring'to Figure 5, it will be seen that we have provided innerlongitudinal members 5 which are spaced from the members 3. 7o Themembers 5 are held in spaced relation with respect to the members 3 bymeans of suitable supporting members 6. The members 5 are held in spacedrelation -by means of inner transverse members 7. It will be seen inreferring to Figure 7 that the transverse members 4 and 7 and theirassociate bracing form a plurality of supporting rings at point-s 8indicated in Figure 5 and also diagrainmatically at 8 in Figure 4.

ln Figure 5 we have shown rigid diagonalv bracing 9 for supporting 'thelongitudinal members 5 anda-lso the longitudinal members 3. F iXeddiagonal members 10` are also provided for supporting the longitudinalmembers as shown in Figure ln Figures andr 5 we have shown the ship asbeing provided with centrally disposed longitudinal shaft l1. In Figure1 we have shown a detail view V90 of the shaft. The shaft 11 comprises aseries of portions 12, the ends of which are connected together by meansof the supporting struclture Vfor an expansion device, such-as thatshown in Figure l.y The expansion devices are disposed in a plane inalignment with the supporting rings 8, see Figure 5.

In Figure 1 we have shown a plurality ot' bars 13 rivetedrto the ends ofthe pipes 12 as at 14. The opposite ends of the bars 13 are connectedwith a coupling device 15 by means of bolts or screws 16. A pulley 17 issupported by the coupling members 15. It will be seen that the pulley 17comprises pieces 18 and 19. The parts may be secured together by meansoit bolts 2O and 21. rlhe pulley 17 is provided with a hub portion 22having flanges l 23 which are disposed within grooves 24 in the couplingmembers 15. The pulley 17 is disposed in alignment with rings 8. InFigure 1 we have shown the bars 13 upon only one side of the pulley 17.The bars, however, are provided upon both sides of the pulley, but, inview of the fact that the construction is identical upon each side, the.showing and description otl the structure upon one side will of coursesuilice.

A screwniember 25 is secured to the hub portion 22 of the pulley 17. Thescrew member extends laterally from each side of the pulley and isdisposed within the bars 13. The screw member is Aprovided withrighthand threads 26 and left-hand threads 27. A disc member 28 isprovided with threads whereby the member may be disposed upon thelett-hand threads 27. A second disc 29 is provided with threads and isdisposed upon the threads 26. The disc 29 is provided with a pluralityofprongs 30 having openings 31 torreceiving the ends of bulkhead wires32. The opposite ends of the bulkhead wires are secured to thesupporting rings-8 at 33, see Figures 5 and 6. In referring to Figures 1and 3, it will be seen that the bulkhead wires 3.. cross as at 34 andare alternately disposed about a ring 35.

In Figure 5 we have shown diagonal bracing members 36 hingedly securedat 37 upon the rings 8, as shown in detail in Figure 6. The diagonalbracings 36 are provided with a hinge at 38. The opposite ends of thediagonals are connected with turn-buckles 39, see Figures 5 and 1. rlheturnbuckles are in turn connected with the disc member 28 through themedium ot' threaded rods 40. The diagonals are provided with suitablecables 41 whereby the diagonals may be moved into the collapsed positionshown at 42 in Figure 5.

A gas-containing cell 43 is disposed between alternate rings 8, seeFigure 5. The operation ofthe diagonal members 36 and of the cells 43has been clearly setforth in the patcnt application above referred to.The couplings 15 comprise members 44 and 45, see Figure 3. The membersare rigidly secured together by means of bolts 46. The hub 22 o thepulley y17 is keyed to the screw member 25 by means of keys 47.

In Figure 3 we have sho-wn a beaded chain 48 as disposed upon the pulley17. The chain 48 passes around the pulley and to a Y position within anoperating compartment in the body of the ship. TheA chain may beconnected with suitable automatic mechanical devices for turning thepulley or the pulley may be turned manually through the medium of thechain 48.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood. It is important in airshipconstructions to provide means whereby the internal bracing may beaccurately7 adjusted to conform to the variations in expansionV andcontraction of the body portion of the ship. In referring to Figure 1,it will be seen that when the pulley 17 is rotated, the screw member 25will be rotated. Rotation ot' this member will of course move themembers 28 and 29 toward or away from each other, depending upon thedirection of rotation of the .pulley 17. When the pulley 17 isrotatedfor moving the members 28 and 29.towardeach-other, the diag onals 36 andthe bulkhead wires32 will of course be placed .under increased tension.

When, however, the members 28 and 29 move in opposite directions,.thetension in the diagonals 36 and the bulkhead wires 32 willbe decreasedtothe amount thatthe members 28 and 29 are moved. The ring 28 isprovided with no othersupporting structure than'the bulkhead wires 32.Itvwill be seen that when the bulkhead wires 32 are placed undertension, the ring 35 will of course automatic-ally be centered.

In View of the .fact that the operation of each unit is identical, thedescription is being coniined to a singleunit. In referring to Figure 5,we have shown a unit Ay operatively connected with diagonals 36 andbulkhead wires 32. At B we have shown a unit adapted to operate bulkheadlwires alone. The unit B is identical with theunit A .with the exceptionthat-the threads 27 andthe vring 28 are omitted. The bulkhead wire-s32support the central shaft 11.

With our invention it is possible -to provide a certain amountof slackin the bulkhead wires for supporting a gas cell whenzthe companion cellshould for any reason become deflated. lIn other words, by providing acertain amount of slack in the bulkhead wires, the latter Awill ofcourse support a greater pressure than 'when fthe bulkhead wires aredrawn taut. lllhen the diagonals are collapsed, they maybefdisconnected-from the me1nbers'28.

We claim:

1. In an airship of the lighter than air type, supporting `membersdisposed yin spaced relation, a cent-ral supporting member, adjustingmeans disposed upon said central supporting member, 'bracing membersconnected with certain of said supporting members and said adjustingmeans, andbulkhead wires connected with said supporting members and theadjusting means whereby the bulkhead wires and the bracing members'inaybe placed under various degrees of tension.

2. In an airship of the lighter than air type, a plurality of movablebracing members, a plurality of bulkhead wires, and means operativelyconnected with said plurality of' bracing members and the plurality ofbulkhead wires whereby the same may be placed and held under variousdegrees of tension.

3. In an airship of the lighter than air type, a plurality of bracingmembers, a pluralty of bulkhead wires, and means for placing saidplurality of bracing members and said plurality of bulkhead wiressimultaneously under tension, said last-named means being adapted toplace said bracing members and the bulkhead wires under various degrecsof tension.

4. In an airship construction, a plurality of bulkhead wires, screwmeansfor placing aid bulkhead wires under various degrees of tension, aplurality of bracing members, and screw means for placing said pluralityof bracing members under various degrees oi' tension, said screw meansbeing operable simultaneously.

5. In an airship construction, a supporting framework, a centralsupporting member, a pair of screw-act-uated elements associated withsaid central supporting member, and a plurality of bracing elementsconnected with each of said screw elements, said screw elements beingmovable simultaneously in opposite directions for placing the bracingelements under tension.

6. In an airship construction, a supporting framework, a plurality ofbulkhead wires connected with the framework, and a plurality of screwmeans operatively connected with the bulkhead wires and movable as aunit for placing the same under tension.

7. In a device of the type described, an actuating wheel provided with ascrew element upon each of its sides and aligned with its axis ofrotation, and a plurality of tensional elements mounted upon each of thescrew elements, said screw elements being formed whereby the unitscomprising the plurality of tensional elements upon each side of thewheel may be moved toward or away from each other when the actuatingwheel is turned.

8. In an airship construction, a plurality Vof bulkhead wires radiallyarranged with respect to the airship, a centering ring, said bulkheadwires being alternately passed upon opposite sides of thecentering'ring, and a movable member having elements associatedtherewith and movable toward or away from each other when the former ismoved, the

member having elements associated therewith and movable toward or awayfrom each other when the former is moved, the inner ends of the bulkheadwires being alternately connected with said elements, a plurality ofbracing members, and elements associated with said movable member andmovable toward and away from each other when the Y latter is'moved, saidlast-named elements being operatively connected with said bracingmembers.

10. In an airship construction, a plurality of bulkhead wires radiallyarranged with respect to the airship, a centering ring, said bulkheadwires being alternately passed upon opposite sides of the centeringring, a movable member having elements associated therewith and movabletoward or away from each other when theformer is moved, the

inner ends of the bulkhead wires being alterc OTTO GEISLER.

GEORGE W. SETH.

inner ends of the bulkhead wires being alternately connected with saidelements.

9. In an airship construction, a plurality 0f bulkhead wires radiallyarranged with respect to the airship, a centering ring, said bulkheadwires being alternately passed upon opposite sides of the centeringring, a movable CII

